EU Development Days: no security, no development

Over 1.5 billion people live in fragile parts of the world that are or have been affected by conflict. More than one-fourth of all countries are considered to be fragile. Almost half of the world's poorest live in areas that suffer from persisting instability.

A cooperative global order, based on multilateralism and regional integration, is crucial to fight poverty and foster a more balanced world growth, said Federica Mogherini i, the High Representative for EU foreign affairs, speaking at the European Development Days, Europe's leading forum on development and international cooperation.

"We too often rely on the idea that Europe is at the centre of the map - Mogherini argued during a debate with eight ʽFuture leadersʼ from all over the world. - That situation is long gone. This does not mean there is no place for Europe in a multilateral world. We need to build partnerships. We need to move past the donor-recipient dynamic, give up a Eurocentric approach. We need to build a web of partnerships: this is the kind of multilateralism we should work towards."

Young generations should take the lead in this process, she added: "At your age - Mogherini told the eight young leaders - everybody tells you: you are the future. That is not true: you are the present. Transforming the world we live in would not be possible without you".

As the security situation in many parts of the globe has deteriorated over the last years, the EU has been committed to providing security in its neighbourhood and beyond. Currently, the EU is deploying 16 civilian and military CSDP (common security and defence policy) missions. The so-called security-development nexus has become an underlying principle of the EU's comprehensive approach. Security and development are mutually reinforcing: security is a precondition for development, while without development and poverty eradication there can be no sustainable peace and security.

European Development Days took place on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 June, at Tour & Taxis in Brussels with the participation of the European Commission and the European External Action Service as part of the EU Year of Development.

The EEAS would like to thank all who were present and came by to learn more about the EU's efforts to promote development and ensure security.

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